Aleksandrowicz - Kleomira albo igrzysko fortuny - 1754

An exceptionally rare Polish print from the reign of Augustus III: Tomasz Witold Aleksandrowicz’s “Kleomira” combines court intrigue, politics, and Fortuna’s fickleness with dramatic elements, and simultaneously offers an interesting testimony to 18th-century Polish literature and theater history.

Very rare. According to WorldCat worldwide only found in 5 libraries (Warsaw, Krakow).

Aleksandrowicz, Tomasz Witold: Kleomira albo igrzysko fortuny na cudownych szczęścia y nieszczęścia granicach fundowane. Nayprzód francuskim, potym angielskim językiem do druku przez pewną damę w roku 1449 podane, a na polski tłumaczone przez rzetelnego y prawdziwego poczciwych Polaków syna.
Warszawa, w Drukarni Jego Królewskiej Mości i Rzeczypospolitej, Kollegium Societatis Jesu, 1754.. 12 Bl. + 346 [recte 348] Seiten. Mit großem Wappenholzschnitt des polnisch-sächsischen Königshauses sowie zahlreichen Zierstücken und Initialen. Zeitgenössischer Halblederband mit Lederecken. 20 x 17 cm.
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The work leads the reader into a world of courtly power struggles, political rivalries, love entanglements, and changing fates. Against the backdrop of English-French history, princes, courtiers, and political actors appear in a storyline governed by ambition, loyalty, and the instability of Fortuna. Dramatic dialogues and scenically arranged scenes give the narrative a decidedly theatrical character.

The work holds particular literary-historical significance due to its fusion of narrative and dramatic form. The concluding part contains the tragedy of Arselin and Kleomira; in the print itself it ends explicitly with “Koniec Tragedyi.” The contemporary dedication is addressed to King Augustus III, Queen Maria Josepha, and the royal family, anchoring the work directly in the Polish-Saxon court culture of the mid-18th century.
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The binding is noticeably rubbed and bumped, the about-page with significant edge wear and loss. Inside, partly stained and with moisture marks, some marginal tears or older repairs. Title page with an old ownership stamp. Overall, an authentic and, despite the signs of use, appealing example of this rare Polish print.